


you don't say much (but i listen when you do)

by mischief7manager



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 23:26:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9851684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischief7manager/pseuds/mischief7manager
Summary: "Vax likes to think he knows his sister pretty well. Of course he does; they’re twins. Even before Singorn made them each the only person the other could count on, they’d been nigh inseparable. And now that they’re on the road, making their way in the world, they’re a unit in a way they haven’t ever been before.Which is why the bear is such a surprise."There's a new addition to the family. Vax is having some trouble adjusting.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ostensibly written for Critical Role Relationship Week. No spoilers. Title from "Love Don't Die" by the Fray.

Vax likes to think he knows his sister pretty well. Of course he does; they’re twins. Even before Singorn made them each the only person the other could count on, they’d been nigh inseparable. And now that they’re on the road, making their way in the world, they’re a unit in a way they haven’t ever been before.

Which is why the bear is such a surprise.

It’s been two weeks since Vex came back to camp cradling a ball of fur and pointy teeth. She’s told him exactly nothing about the cub: where she found it, why she kept it, what she expects to do with it now. So far she’s successfully trained it not to bite them, most of the time, but concepts like “sit,” “stay,” and “don’t chew on Vax’s leather boots” seem to be taking rather longer to sink in. 

Needless to say, Vax isn’t exactly thrilled with this development.

“Look, I get it if you’re lonely, or whatever,” he says that evening, as he attempts to patch the latest tears in his boots. “But we’re barely getting by with just the two of us. Can we really afford to add another mouth to feed?”

Vex doesn’t even look up from her fletching. “We’ll be fine.”

“Will we?” Vax puts the boot down and sits back on his heels. “Whatever charity project you think this is, is it really the best idea? I mean-” he waves a hand towards the cub, currently curled into a ball on top of Vex’s bedroll, “-it doesn’t even do anything useful.”

“ _ He _ doesn’t have to be useful.” Vex does look up now, to fix Vax with a truly fearsome glare. “ _ He _ is a baby, and I’m taking care of him, and if you don’t like it, you can just fuck right off.”

Vax frowns. “I’m just saying-”

“I know what you’re saying, you’ve said it five times already, so shut up about it, alright?” Vex stands, picking up her bow and quiver. “The bear stays. I’m gonna go catch us some dinner, unless you have any other pressing concerns you’d like to hound me about.” And with that, she storms out of the clearing.

Vax sighs. Whatever happened when Vex decided to adopt this-  _ furball _ , it’s put her in a high holy temper these past weeks. The kind that means something’s really bothering her, and she’s acting like it’s not, and she’s taking it out on everyone around her until she sorts her shit. Which, since they’ve abandoned all ties to civilization, means she’s taking it out on Vax. 

“This is your fault,” he says, pointing in the cub’s direction. 

The cub lifts its head. “Seriously,” he says, refusing to be moved by the enormous brown eyes looking up at him pitifully, “we were doing fine before you showed up. Well, not  _ fine _ , fine, but better than before.”

The cub whines. It’s very cute. Vax sighs. “Fine, whatever,” he mutters, going back to his boots. “Be that way.”

The next hour or so passes in silence. Vax finishes patching his boots, as best he can, and starts working on a fire so they can cook whatever Vex brings back. Their time in the wild so far has taught him enough to use only dry, old wood, so even once he gets the fire going, there’s hardly any smoke. Certainly not enough to attract attention from anyone else that might be wandering past.

Supposedly.

“You! Boy!”

Vax springs to his feet, hands flying to the daggers sheathed at his sides. Stepping into the clearing, across the fire, is a large human man. He’s holding a crossbow, aimed at the center of Vax’s chest. “Hands where I can see them, boy,” he says, “or I put one of these bolts straight through your heart.”

For a second, Vax thinks he can take him, but then he sees the other two men step out on either side of the first. One has a drawn shortsword, the other an axe. They move until they’re within striking distance of Vax. “No trouble, now,” says the bowman, who Vax assumes is their leader. “Just hand over your valuables and you and your pup can be on your way, safe and sound.” 

Vax flicks a quick glance at the bear cub. It’s sitting up on Vex’s bedroll now, head cocked in confusion. It’s sniffing the air, taking in the scent of unfamiliar people. It lets out another whine, and that’s enough to draw a second glance from one of the bandits. “Shit, boss,” he says, eyes wide, “that ain’t no dog. That’s a fucking bear, is what that is!”

The leader smiles. “Alright, lads, change of plans. Kill the boy, take the bear. We’ll get a pretty penny for it at the next market, I wager.”

The two followers move, the man with the shortsword towards Vax, the other to pick up the cub by the scruff of the neck. Vax has enough time to think, with astonishing clarity:  _ If anything happens to that cub, Vex will never, EVER, forgive me _ . But before the man with the shortsword attacks, his friend lets out a shriek and drops the cub. 

“Little shit bit me!” he says, holding up a bleeding hand. The man with the shortsword looks over, and that’s more than enough distraction for Vax to lunge forward and sink a dagger into his chest. 

He goes down, sputtering blood down his chin, and Vax whirls to the other. This one is prepared, and he blocks Vax’s first strike, swinging his axe down towards Vax’s shoulder. Vax leaps back, but before the bandit can swing again he howls in pain, body listing suddenly to one side. Vax glances down to see the bear cub, front paws braced on the man’s leg, teeth sunken into his calf. The man screams again, but it’s cut short by the swipe of Vax’s dagger across his throat.

Vax whirls, flipping the dagger to throw at the bowman, but before he can there’s a familiar  _ thwap _ , and two arrows sprout from the man’s chest. He topples forward, revealing Vex behind him, bow drawn, three dead rabbits piled on the ground by her feet. “Are there more of them?” she says, already reaching for another arrow.

Vax shakes his head. “Just the three of them, I think. They didn’t hurt me.”

Vex relaxes her stance. “Thank the gods. I leave you alone for an hour…” Her gaze falls to the bear cub, whose muzzle, Vax is sure, is covered in blood, and her eyes widen. “Trinket!” She drops her bow and scoops the cub up in her arms, crooning gently. “It’s alright, buddy, I’ve got you, you’re fine, are you hurt?”

“He’s fine.” Vax kneels next to the body of the leader and begins digging through his pockets. “He took a nasty chunk out of one of them, actually. Scrappy little guy.” When Vex doesn’t respond, he glances up.

Vex is looking at him, a small smile on her face. “He?”

Vax shrugs. “Whatever. You’ve gotten attached, might as well get used to him hanging around.” 

She nods. “Sure, of course.” She scratches the cub behind the ears, causing him to close his eyes and nuzzle up to her chest. “His name’s Trinket, by the way,” she says, all casual afterthought, “I’ve decided.”

Vax considers it. “Trinket.” He stands up and walks over. They’re both watching closely as he slowly extends a hand for the cub to sniff. “Hello, Trinket,” he says. 

Trinket licks his hand. Vax smiles. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy [this picture](http://www.critterbabies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2355204850_8ccbcdb9b2.jpg) of baby Trinket it is the cutest thing i have ever saw


End file.
